1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a remote control system, and more particularly to an external bilateral telephone interface remote control system.
2. Description of the Related Art
The present invention is related to an external bilateral phone interface remote control system which is adapted for factory safety, home security and gas control. The external bilateral phone interface comprises an external remote control host having an input terminal coupled to an indoor or an outdoor phone line and an output terminal coupled to an external remote control extension indoor of a wire or wireless switch, for forming a remote control network to control the wire or wireless switch by dialing the phone number. The external remote control extension comprises a feedback module, adapted to feed back an identified signal to the original caller via the network and the phone line for achieving the bilateral control.
Usually, alarm devices which are controlled by internal circuits, are applied to automatic equipment for preventing misoperations by users. Although these devices perform alarm function, they increase manufacturing costs and users need to determine whether the alarm is true and to resolve the problem causing false alarm due to the faulty alarm signal. If a malfunction occurs in the nighttime and the users are not in the factory or cannot adequately solve the abnormal situation, the equipment may break down or may even cause fire in the factory. For example, the fire accidents of Windbond Electronic Corporation and United Integrated Circuits Corporation in 1996 and 1997, respectively, caused billions dollars loss. The cause of the loss in these fire accidents were due to fact that the operators did not properly handle the fire at the beginning stage of the accident.
Usually, doors of houses are equipped with locks. However, when the locks are not strong enough, the thieves may break into the houses and take away the valuable property of the owners without difficulty. Moreover, the loss or oblivion of key by the house owners cause inconvenience of accessing into the house. Therefore, a security remote system controlled by dialing the phone number for making sure whether the door is locked or for controlling the lock is developed.
Moreover, it is also possible that a user may forget about the cooking and thereby forget to turn off the stove. The oblivion of turning off the stove may result in a fire accident, causing the loss of property, injury or death. Therefore, a remote control system for turning off the switch of the stove is highly desirable.
TW Pat. No. 124,097, entitled to “phone remote control system,” TW Pat. No. 214,351, entitled to “phone remote control system for family,” and TW Pat. No. 371,131, entitled to “super of phone remote control system” disclosed devices and methods for remotely controlling the electrical devices of houses. The first two patents are related to the control system between the phone line and the power line, wherein the power line serves to transmit signals. However, they face the problems of noises, pulses and interference. Practically, hardly can these problems be resolved even if the advanced chips are applied thereto. The last one discloses, in addition to the phone control, relays and memories for cooperating with the system to control the turning-on or turning-off thereof. The prior art systems need power lines or relays. However, they still cannot make sure whether the operation of the switch of the equipment or the door is functioning properly. Therefore, the remote super has completed the process, but the switch of the equipment or door does not completely operate. Accordingly, a new remote control system to resolve the issues described above is highly desirable.